Thousands of farmers in Congress-ruled Rajasthan started an indefinite dharna (sit-in protest) demanding for a review of compensation against land acquired by the government for two highway projects. The agitation has started in Jalore district in the state.
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Bharat Bhoomi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti president Ramesh Dalal, who is leading the protest, claimed that nearly 3,000 farmers in the state have been affected by the land acquisition.
“We are demanding revision of compensation awarded against land acquisition for two highway projects,” Dalal said adding that nearly 10000 farmers are participating in the dharna at Bhagora in Rajasthan’s Jalore district.
Demanding strict and prompt action against guilty officers, the Bharat Bhoomi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti president alleged that there have been several irregularities in the process of determining compensation for the farmers whose land have been acquired for the highway projects.
Confirming that he has already held talks regarding the issue with a district administration official Dalal said: “We have given the officers an ultimatum and told them that the talks will be held at the dharna site only. Senior officials should come here and put forth the government”s side. Our demands are clear and we want the government to fulfil them,” he said.
Dalal added that the future course of action will be decided on Saturday if there is no positive response from the government.
Of the two proposed highways, one will pass from Rajasthan’s Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Barmer and Jalore districts, whereas the other will pass from Dausa, Alwar and nearby areas.
This is not the first time the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan is facing the ire of miffed farmers. Last year, the state of Rajasthan had witnessed sporadic incidents of farmer suicides on account of dubious promises of farm loan waiver made by the Congress-ruled government.
In June 2019, a 45-year-old farmer ended his life at Thakri village in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district on Sunday, leaving behind a farewell video and a two-page note accusing the Ashok Gehlot government of failing to deliver its pre-poll promise of waiving bank loans.
Rahul Gandhi led Congress came to power in various states promising several sops of loan waivers, high MSP etc, but failed to deliver on its promises. The false promise of loan-waiver by the Congress party had taken several lives in Congress-ruled states of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan.
In addition to this, a farm loan waiver scam appeared to be brewing in the state of Rajasthan after non-existent names appeared on the list surfaced in Rajasthan after the Congress government initiated the loan waiver scheme. Scores of names appeared in the list of beneficiaries for the farm loan waiver scheme who had no loans against their names raising suspicion on the intention of the farm loan waiver scheme by the Congress government.